Starbucks is about to give you some new options to wake up in the morning and to stay cool all summer long. This summer, Starbucks is releasing two new types of Cold Brews. These two new menu items will be Nitro Cold Brew and Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew.

Let`s start off with the Nitro Cold Brew. This is considered a spin on the signature Cold Brew. But this time is unique because it’ll be infused with nitrogen. The reasoning behind this combination is to give a smoother and more creamy texture to the beverage. What makes it even more fascinating is that it will be poured to perfection right out of a tap. “Nitro Cold Brew is cold right out of the tap and served unsweetened without ice. A Tall (12-ounce) serving has 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar.” This new way of serving up a classic Cold Brew is definitely going to be interesting to see. “We start with a small, chilled keg of Starbucks Cold Brew coffee,” said Anthony Carroll, a 20-year partner on Starbucks Coffee team. “Then it’s infused with nitrogen, which unlocks the super-smooth, natural sweetness of the Cold Brew coffee, which then cascades from the tap with a velvety texture you can see and taste.” Currently this beverage is being offered in select stores in Seattle. By the end of the summer, the list of participating stores will increase. And we are in luck, because New York is on the list! Along with 500 company-operated stores in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

The second Cold Brew is a sweeter version of the signature drink. “We wanted to create a coffee-forward iced beverage with a splash of sweet cream,” said Christal Canzler from Starbucks beverage development team. This delicious combination will be made with Starbucks Cold Brew over ice and finished off with a house-made vanilla sweet cream. “A Tall (12-ounce) serving is 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar.” These two new beverages will definitely help you stay cool for the summer. Which one will you try first?

The only thing that can make a Disney vacation more magical is the perfect Disney dining. From character dining to quick service to even snacks. I am going to tell you my top favorites from Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida.

Meeting the characters is always one of my favorite parts of any Disney trip. And what makes it even better is dining with the characters. My absolute favorite character dining is the Best Friends Breakfast at O`hana, in the Polynesian Village Resort. From the moment you walk in, you’ll feel like you are on a Hawaiian roller coaster ride with Lilo, Stitch, Mickey and Pluto. This delicious breakfast is served family style and is loads of fun. My second favorite character dining is the 1900 Park Fare located at the Grand Floridian. The dining time depends on what characters will be there. During the Supercalifragilistic Breakfast, you’ll be joined by Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, The Mad Hatter, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh. This all you care to enjoy buffet is filled with scrumptious treats such as fluffy pancakes, Mickey waffles, fruit, omelets and so much more. The dinner here is even more decadent as you dine like royalty. You will join Cinderella and Prince Charming as their guest of honor. Their royal friends are also sure to be in attendance. My third favorite character dining experience is the Crystal Palace located in the Magic Kingdom. You’ll feel like you are in the Hundred Acre Woods with Pooh and his friends. All of the food is fantastic but I must say, the mac and cheese is the best. There are so many other dining experiences that Disney World has to offer. It`s hard to choose which ones to pick for your visit.

Next up is the quick service. These are perfect for an action packed day that leaves little room for a full sit down meal. The one quick service that I always make sure to do is at, Be Our Guest. This is my favorite quick service location in Magic Kingdom. The main dining room is absolutely gorgeous and it looks like the exact one from Beauty and the Beast. The meal that I always get is the Croque Monsieur. And you can`t forget to try the “grey” stuff because it`s delicious. No matter how many times I go there, I always leave singing Be Our Guest from the Beauty and the Beast soundtrack for the rest of the day. My second favorite quick service is also in the Magic Kingdom and that is, Casey’s Corner. This old fashioned hot dog joint is the perfect stop before catching the Festival of Fantasy parade. My favorite hotdog from there is the barbeque slaw dog. My third favorite quick service location is basically anywhere in the World Showcase in Epcot. But the Tangierine Café is definitely number one for me. The best dish there is the Shawarma Chicken and Lamb Platter.

Now on to the snacks! Everything is better Mickey shaped and at Walt Disney World you’ll find a lot of that. My all-time favorite snack is the classic Mickey shaped ice cream. Other amazing mickey shaped snacks are, the giant Mickey chocolate chip cookie, a Mickey pretzel and Mickey lollipops. Some other classic snacks include Dole Whip and turkey legs. With all of this amazing food at Walt Disney World, there is no way that you will ever be hungry.

Along with sweatshirts, falling leaves, and haunted houses, comes Dunkin Donuts’ release of their seasonal Pumpkin flavored coffees and bakery items! There is nothing better than waking up on a crisp fall morning and heading to Dunkin for breakfast before work.

My go to breakfast at Dunkin is always a medium pumpkin iced coffee with extra pumpkin and half & half, paired with a warmed pumpkin muffin or donut. For an afternoon “pick me up”, an iced pumpkin latte or macchiato hits the spot and keeps me running!

As the fall days get colder, Dunkin’s hot pumpkin coffees and lattes made with steamed cream help warm and comfort you. Along with their enticing pumpkin flavors, you can look forward to their hot and iced apple cider in late September. Pair a cup of their apple cider with an apple cinnamon donut and you have the perfect afternoon treat!

For all the Starbucks lovers out there, try one of Starbuck’s new delightfully balanced Salted Caramel Mocha, or their delicious Pumpkin Spice Latte. Each can be served hot, iced or blended to suit whatever type of autumn day you’re having.

I enjoy the rich aroma and smooth taste Starbucks hot drinks offer.

Pair your favorite beverage with some new pastries such as the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, the glazed Pumpkin Scone, or the juicy bite of Washington Apple Pound Cake. One thing I have always loved about Starbucks pastries and café items is that they are always soft and fresh!

So get in your car and head to Dunkin or Starbucks now before the fall season runs out! With a wide variety of drinks and pastries, pumpkin and non-pumpkin lovers are sure to find something they love!

Today, June 5th is National Doughnut Day, and to celebrate, Dunkin’ Donuts is offering a free donut with the purchase of any beverage.

“Donuts have a special place in our country’s history and culture,” said Jeff Miller, executive chef and vice president of product innovation at Dunkin’ Brands. “We are proud to celebrate this timeless favorite on National Donut Day.”

You can find a Long Island location near you at dunkindonuts.com. Make sure you don’t miss out on making your day extra sweet!

Today is another bright and sunny day in Sevilla, Spain! We started our day off bright and early with a homemade pancake breakfast. After our scrumptious breakfast we walked to Triana. This is a little neighborhood near Jessica’s apartment. We stopped at little shops and of course had to stop for coffee and pastries. Coffee and pastries have become my favorite part of the day in Spain. We saw many beautiful churches and walked a long the river. It’s like walking through a postcard. It started to rain so we quickly made it back to Jessica’s apartment.

Before we knew it, it was time to get ready for dinner and the flamenco show. Flamenco is a type of spanish folk music and dance. This was my first flamenco show and it was so much fun. We went to a local bar and it felt like we really got to experience the Spanish culture through music. After the show we were exhausted and headed back to the apartment. Check back next week to hear about the next part of my adventure! We are Amsterdam bound!

Today is my second day in Sevilla, Spain. We started off the day with breakfast at this local cafe. I got a croissant and coffee. The coffee is amazing here. We then went souvenir shopping, we came across so many shops. I got a few souvenirs and before we knew it, it was time to get ready for the soccer game. Sevilla was playing against Elche. It was a close game but Sevilla won. After the game we went to a local cafe for coffee and gelato. It’s been another fun day in Sevilla!

Here`s some good news for all you coffee lovers out there! As coffee may seem like a necessity to a person`s daily routine, it is actually proven that there are many more benefits then to just give you energy. Here are 5 reasons why a person should drink coffee everyday. The first reason is that coffee is a popular way of how most Americans get their antioxidants, according to a study in 2005. While fruits and vegetables also have tons of antioxidants, the human body seems to absorb the most from coffee. The second reason is that just smelling coffee can make you less stressed if you suffer from sleep deprivation. This was proven by a study conducted by the researchers at the Seoul National University. The third reason is that coffee can lessen the chances of a person developing Parkinson`s disease. ScienceDaily reported in 2012 that drinking coffee may help people with Parkinson’s disease control their movement. Ronald Postuma, MD, the study author, said, “Studies have shown that people who use caffeine are less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease, but this is one of the first studies in humans to show that caffeine can help with movement symptoms for people who already have the disease.” The fourth reason is coffee can make you more intelligent. CNN reports that coffee actually makes your brain work in a more efficient way. Time Reporter, Michael Lemonick says, “When you’re
sleep-deprived and you take caffeine, pretty much anything you measure will improve: reaction time, vigilance, attention, logical reasoning — most of the complex functions you associate with intelligence.” And the last reason is that coffee can increase your athletic performance. This is a good tip for any athlete. The New York Times reports that “Scientists and many athletes have known for years, of course, that a cup of coffee before a workout jolts athletic performance, especially in endurance sports like distance running and cycling.” The reasoning behind this is that caffeine increases the number of fatty acids in the bloodstream. This increase allows athletes` muscles to absorb and burn those fats for fuel, therefore saving the body’s small reserves of carbohydrates for later on in the exercise. So next time you are about to enjoy a cup of coffee just remember there are many more benefits to a cup of coffee besides the energy boost.

The anticipation is over and it`s official that there will be a celebration to honor the 20th anniversary of the legendary television series Friends. This is a huge step from when Courtney Cox boldly stated that there will be no such things as a reunion and that it is close to impossible to get the cast together for dinner. This statement quickly changed when the cast surprisingly got together for dinner this past month. During this dinner, their creative minds went to work and any loyal fan of Friends, will be more than impressed with the outcome.The conclusion of these ideas is a Central Perk pop-up coffee shop that will come to New York`s Soho area (199 Lafayette Street).

This pop up cafe will be fully functioning and will be an exact replica of the set. Besides just being able to grab some coffee and admiring the set, there will also be many surprises. Some of these surprises include appearances by James Michael Tyler who guest starred on the show as the infamous barista, “Gunther”. This pop up cafe also includes photo ops, weekly in-store performances to improvised songs such as “Smelly Cat”, Friends themed merchandise and many contests and giveaways sponsored by Eight O’Clock Coffee brand.

The cafe will open its doors on Wednesday, September 17 and close on Saturday, October 18. The business hours for this pop up cafe will be, Monday-Fridays, 8:00 a.m. -8:00 p.m. and Saturdays- Sundays, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 .p.m. So now is your chance to relive a part of television history while enjoying a cup of coffee.